Relinquishing her anger as she had other problems to worry about, Amity looked back at him, realizing he was waiting for a response from her.
“Thank you for the kind acknowledgment, my lord.”
Someone snickered again, and Amity looked around, ready to wallop the rude guest over the head.
“You are most welcome, Miss Rare-Foure. Thank you for coming to share this occasion.”
Instead of looking away, somehow, their gazes locked. Amity felt a tremor of realization rock through her — she loved this man. His devilish smile, his green eyes, his infectious laughter, his quick mind, his sensual kiss. She knew she would love the rest of him, too, if she had ever had the chance to know him better.
His expression changed subtly, and Amity wondered if anyone else noticed. His attractive mouth opened slightly as if he might say more.
Then into the long pause, Lady Madeleine asked, “Are we going to try them, Your Grace? Or let them melt away in the candlelight? Our guests are waiting.”
Our guests?Already, the lady assumed they were a couple jointly hosting the party. It shouldn’t bother Amity, as that was the irrevocable outcome after tonight, but it made her thoroughly heartsick, just the same.
***
HENRY TURNED TO THEravishing lady beside him and felt ... nothing. He hadn’t managed to kiss Madeleine, and he no longer cared if he ever did. When he looked out over friends and family, he realized he felt more strongly for most of the people in the room than he did for the earl’s daughter.
Particularly for Amity, whose glistening, chocolate-brown eyes seemed to capture him whenever he looked into their lively, intelligent depths.
Nevertheless, he had to be sensible. Madeleine was bred to be a duchess. Naturally, she looked the part in her golden gown, but — he glanced at Amity again — his chocolatier looked infinitely more enchanting in her green silk, like a fairy creature.
Or at least, for some reason, she was the only female in the room who did absolutely enchant him.But could she truly be accepted as his duchess?
Madeleine didn’t make anyfaux paswhen it came to addressing nobility, nor did she gasp loudly in public or spill her wine. Neither did she kiss passionately enough to make his hair curl — or at least, he hadn’t discovered whether she did or not. What’s more, he realized he no longer cared to find out. With Amity, he knew exactly how spectacular her kisses could be and how wonderful the woman who bestowed them.
“The chocolates,” Madeleine said again, more insistently.
Henry blinked. Hardly a few seconds had passed, but it felt as if he’d stood there for hours, silently thinking of Amity and how unfavorably Madeleine compared to his chocolatier’s humor, warmth, sense of adventure, and companionable nature.
Christ!Everyone, most of all Madeleine’s parents and his own family, were expecting a proposal.
“The chocolates,” he repeated, lamely. “Try one, my lady. They will ... win you over, and ... in fact, they are named for you.”
“Are they?” Madeleine seemed genuinely delighted.
“Yes,” he said, glancing at Amity again, whose hands were now clutched in those of her sister’s.Why did they have matching worried expressions?Of one thing, he had no doubt at all — Madeleine would love the chocolates. Amity need not be concerned over that.
He watched Madeleine select one from the tray, for the first time noticing there were two kinds, the round fondant balls he loved and those in the flower shape he’d chosen. She picked up a round, cocoa-dusted ball.
Keeping her gaze locked on his, Madeleine bit the confection in half. He knew at that very instant how it was melting decadently upon her tongue, how next she would taste the burst of sweetness and lavender, followed by—
Her eyes bulged slightly as her mouth twisted. It was the first time he’d ever seen her look less than beautiful.
“Ugh!” she proclaimed loudly, looking as if she might spit it out. Instead, as if with great difficulty, grimacing all the while, she swallowed and reached hurriedly for her glass of champagne beside her. Knocking it over, she grabbed for another one and drank it down in two great gulps.
In horrified silence, people started to look at the chocolatier, who now wore a stricken expression.
“That was vile!” Madeleine said loudly and slammed the remainder of the confection onto the pink silk tablecloth, smearing it with chocolate.
Henry was beyond stunned. The wordviledid not go with anything he had ever tasted from Rare Confectionery.
Amity pushed her way to the front of his guests.
“There has been a mistake, my lord—”
Before she could get any further in whatever she was going to say, Madeleine turned on her.
